This Incredible Map Shows Every Tree In America

In an effort to better understand how trees in the U.S. store carbon, a group of environmental scientists has created what seems to be a comprehensive map of every tree in the country.

It took scientists from Woods Hole Research Center, the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey six years to assemble the national forest map from space-based radar, satellite sensors, computer models, and ground-based data, according to NASA's Earth Observatory (via Gizmodo).

By taking inventory of the nation's trees, scientists hope to better understand the effects of deforestation.

The map below includes around 5 million trees; areas in darker green have a denser biomass.